Sony Unveils Array of Latest Innovations at IFA 2014

(SINGAPORE, 03 September 2014) – At
the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, Germany, scheduled to start from
Friday, September 5, Sony Corporation (“Sony”) is unveiling an array of new
products that deliver uniquely Sony user experiences based on its ethos of
“inspiring and fulfilling people’s curiosity around the world, and generating
emotional value”.

At the
Sony press conference held in advance of IFA’s official opening on Wednesday,
September 3, Kazuo Hirai, President and CEO, Sony Corporation outlined Sony’s
latest developments in the areas of Mobile, Digital Imaging, Game and Network
Services.

“Each of
our latest Sony products seeks to do more than just deliver new functionality,
but actually change the way you interact with technology, and the way it
integrates into your life. We seek not only to meet your needs, but through our
Kando-inspiring technologies move you
emotionally, and elevate your experience to new heights,” said Hirai.

During
the press conference Hirai also unveiled Life Space UX for the first time in
Europe. An entirely new approach to the user experience and product creation,
Life Space UX leverages the user’s surroundings and living space to enable
content to be enjoyed more naturally and in entirely new ways. At IFA, Sony is
showcasing the evolution of the concept from its first unveiling at the
International Consumer Electronics Show held in the U.S. this past January.

Kunimasa
Suzuki, President and CEO, Sony Mobile Communications demonstrated how Sony is
bringing together the best of its technologies in its mobile product lineup,
led by the Xperia™ Z3 which connects to PlayStation®4 (PS4™) through
PlayStation® App or PS4 Remote Play application. Suzuki also announced Sony’s
latest SmartWear products that integrate with its mobile products to allow
users to record their daily activities and enrich their lifestyles.

Products unveiled at IFA in Berlin include:

1．Xperia™ Smartphones – Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3 Compact

Sony’s new flagship smartphones combine
the best Sony technologies including its camera, camcorder and audio
technologies, together with the world’s first immersive PS4 gaming experience
on a smartphone through PS4 Remote Play[1].

With its large 5.2 inch display, Xperia
Z3 incorporates a rounded aluminium frame and tempered glass panels, providing
a crafted finish and a slim, light body measuring just 7.3mm in width and
weighing only 152g. This dust-tight and waterproof (IP65/68)[2]
powerhouse blends beauty with function. It is available in a range of colors:
white, black, copper or silver green[3].

Xperia Z3 Compact is perfect for
one-handed use with a rounded liquid reflection frame and tempered glass panels
for an elegant premium finish, and measures just 129g in weight. It is also
dust-tight and waterproof (IP65/IP68)2. It is available in a range
of four colors: white, black, orange and green.

Both models leverage on Sony’s advanced
camera technologies such as its 1/2.3” Exmor™ RS for mobile CMOS image sensor,
BIONZ™ for mobile processing engine and the new 25mm wide-angle Sony G-Lens,
that combine to generate photos and videos in sharp and vivid detail. ISO 12800
sensitivity and Sony’s enhanced SteadyShot™ technology minimises noise and
blurring, while delivering enhanced exposure and brilliantly vivid colors.

In terms of audio, both models deliver
High-Resolution audio output directly via the headphone jack, and also feature
Sony’s ground-breaking DSEE HX technology which upscales the fidelity of
low-res music files (MP3, AAC) to near High-Resolution quality[4],
ensuring that extremely high audio quality can be enjoyed anytime. Furthermore,
they both feature digital noise cancelling capability built-in, reducing
ambient noise by up to approximately 98 percent[5].

Sony is also enabling users to enjoy the
immersive PS4 gaming experience on the screens of their Xperia smartphones by
expanding PS4 Remote Play.

Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact are
scheduled for launch in Japan and other regions this Autumn.

2．Xperia™ Tablet – Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact

The world’s slimmest and lightest (6.4mm
and 270g) compact tablet[6]
offers new and unique entertainment experiences, for example in the area of gaming,
that only Sony can deliver. It incorporates a rounded frame for easy one-handed
use, integrated with a reinforced FRP panel, to create an elegant finish
consistent with the design concept of the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact
smartphones. It is also dust-tight and waterproof (IP65/68)2.

Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is the world’s
first tablet to offer PS4 Remote Play1, enabling users to enjoy the
PS4 gaming experience on its large, 8 inch screen. The TRILUMINOS™ display for
mobile with Live Color LED provides a wide palette of rich natural colors for
the sharpest images, and a viewing experience full of depth and reality when
playing games or watching movies.

In terms of audio, Xperia Z3 Tablet
Compact delivers High-Resolution audio output directly via the headphone jack,
and also features Sony’s ground-breaking DSEE HX technology which upscales the
fidelity of low-res music files such as MP3 to near High-Resolution quality4,
ensuring that extremely high audio quality can be enjoyed anytime. Furthermore,
its built-in digital noise cancelling capability reduces ambient noise by up to
approximately 98 percent5.

3. Xperia™ Smartphone – Xperia E3

Xperia E3 shares the same premium design
style as Sony’s latest flagship Xperia Z3 series and is available in a range of
striking colors including white, black, lime and copper[7].
Designed to fit firmly into the user’s hand, and featuring a scratch-resistant
4.5 inch screen, Xperia E3 is made to handle every day wear, and keep it
looking smart for long. It is equipped with a 5 megapixel camera and Sony’s
creative camera apps to add creative fun to photos and videos. Xperia™ E3’s
‘shake to start’ app enables users to customise shortcuts to their favorite
apps and access them with just a flick of the wrist. Its high-speed Qualcomm
Snapdragon™ 400 processor with quad-core 1.2GHz CPUs and long lasting battery
with Battery STAMINA Mode keep users connected longer, enabling them to enjoy
entertainment on the go.

4. SmartWear

Sony
is also launching new SmartWear products, which can be used in combination with
compatible smartphones, tablets and dedicated applications to record users’
daily life data via Lifelog. Using a variety of sensing technologies, Sony
SmartWear products enable users to log both their motional activities, such as
the number of steps they take, movements they make, and sleep patterns, as well
as emotional activities such as pictures they take, music they listen to,
calls, messages, and precious memories they’d like to remember.The Lifelog app enables the user to visualise how they have spent
the day and gain hints on how to further enrich their daily lives.

With
GPS and 4GB storage memory built in, SmartWatch 3 supports Android Wear by
Google to not only deliver useful information and services based on the user’s
latest activities, but also enable communication and entertainment including
music to be enjoyed remotely, even when the user is away from their smartphone.
Meanwhile, SmartBand Talk is equipped with a curved, always-on e-paper display,
to enable hands free calls and voice commands. Its intuitive voice controls
enable users to instantly check their Lifelog status with just a glance of
their wrist. SmartWatch 3 and SmartBand Talk will be rolled out globally
starting this Autumn.

Going
forward, Sony will further proliferate its range of SmartWear products, such as
Smart Tennis Sensor[8],
which attaches to the base of the user’s tennis racket and visualises every
shot on their smartphone, and its prototype SmartEyeglass – transparent lens
eyewear which superimposes useful information onto the user’s field of view.

5. Lens-style Camera – ILCE-QX1, DSC-QX30 and
DSC-QX10 (Copper, Pink)

Sony is also expanding its Lens-style Camera lineup with two new
models that link with smartphones[9]
via Wi-Fi, and can be directly attached to smartphones or used separately to
allow users to take pictures of themselves or other high-quality photos and
videos[10]
from any angle.

ILCE-QX1 features the same APS-C CMOS image sensor as Sony’s
mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras,
and is capable of taking high-quality photos with beautiful defocusing and
clear night scene shots with high sensitivity and low noise, as well as a wide
variety of expressions through its compatibility with interchangeable E-mount
lenses based on the α™ Mount System.

DSC-QX30 features the same 30x optical zoom Sony G Lens, Optical
Steadyshot and auto-focus functions found in Sony’s Cyber-shot™ models, making it possible to capture
photographs that could not be taken using just an internal smartphone camera,
such as distant subjects, with less blur.

Additionally, copper and pink color variations have been added to
the current DSC-QX10.

Updates to Sony’s mobile application
PlayMemories MobileTM have improved connection time and stability
after connection, while also enhancing functionality and the user interface for
easier operation.

6．Action Cam Mini – HDR-AZ1VR
(Live-view Remote Kit)

HDR-AZ1VR
is a wearable camera which features a small and light body weighing
approximately 63g, just two thirds the size of the current model, HDR-AS100V,
thanks to the new Live-view Remote equipped with GPS recording function. It can
be easily attached to sports equipment such as bike handlebars and helmets, and
with its 170° field of view[11]
film stunning, high-quality footage of action sports such as skiing,
snowboarding, mountain climbing, surfing and more. It can also be used for a
range of other purposes, for example when travelling, for capturing family
footage, or for filming hobbies. HDR-AZ1VR is XAVC S (HD 50Mbps) compatible, enabling it to record
high-quality video with less compression noise, even when shooting fast-moving
scenes. Furthermore, the new Live-View remote control is capable of playback[12]
and deleting files stored on the camera.

By
using this model with the video-editing software Action Cam Movie Creator,
users can also enjoy easy, high-grade video editing.

7． PlayMemories Camera Apps™

Sound Photo and Light Trail have been added to PlayMemories
Camera Apps™, an application download service which allows users to add a
variety of functions to their camera.

Sound
Photo: By recording sound before and after the shutter, Sound Photo allows
users to relive the moment they experienced while taking a photo. This playback
is not limited to cameras, but can also be played on PCs, mobile devices and
TVs.

Light
Trail: Light Trail is an application which can reproduce light trails from the
headlights of a car or fireworks in a single picture. This application makes it
easy for users to produce photos which, in the past, could only be created
using intricate, long exposure photography.

8. Expansion of
High-Resolution audio products and content

Sony’s
lineup of High-Resolution audio products take users beyond the level of CD
quality, and Sony is continuing to expand its product lineup, primarily in the
area of easily accessible, portable products. With Sony Music Entertainment
(SME) also increasing the availability of Hi-Res audio content, the Sony Group
is actively engaged in growing the Hi-Res market from both a hardware and
content perspective.

In
terms of hardware, Sony is adding a total of seven new products, including
Walkman®, headphones and a portable amplifier, to its existing range of 32
Hi-Res audio compatible products[13].
The NWZ-A15 Walkman is the world’s smallest and lightest[14]
Hi-Res compatible digital music player, and provides an easily accessible,
high-quality listening experience. Sony is also introducing a total of three13,[15]
new Hi-Res audio compatible headphones, for customers ranging from those
looking to easily enjoy high-quality audio, to those passionate about the
premium audio experience.

Regarding
content, SME has announced Hi-Res audio titles from popular artists including
Pharrell Williams and Kasabian. Additionally, the Sony Group is strengthening
its collaboration with a wide range of distributors to optimise the environment
for enabling Hi-Res audio downloads.

The
S90B series (75/65), with its combination of curved LCD screen and powerful
multi-angle live speaker system, is a new series of 4K Ultra HD BRAVIA™ TV
which offers an unparalleled level of immersion. This series uses Sony’s unique
4K picture engine 4K X-Reality® PRO, X-tended Dynamic Range technology, and
wide colour gamut TRILUMINOS® Display as well as rich surround sound to provide
the feeling of being at a movie theatre, in the home.

Sony is engaged in a range of initiatives to enhance the
4K viewing experience in the home, some together with service partners. Amazon will start providing 4K content
on Amazon Instant Video and
Prime Instant Video this year, and 2014 4K BRAVIA modelswill
be able to receivethis service in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany.
In terms of broadcasts, ASTRA is providing a 4K demo channel available via
satellite on 19.2°East, and
Sony is showcasing 4K BRAVIA receiving these signals on the Sony booth.

10. New spatial experience, Sony’s Life Space UX: introducing
entirely new experiences in the home

Sony announced Life Space
UX, a new concept which utilises space itself to generate experiences, at
International CES in January 2014 where it introduced its 4K Ultra Short Throw
Projector[17],
which is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S.
at the end of September, as well as a tabletop screen, ceiling screen and wall mount
display concept models.

At IFA 2014, Sony is
showcasing its lineup of products that comprise Life Space UX, including
concept models and development prototypes that incorporate new technologies,
for the first time in Europe.These concept
models include a LED
bulb speaker, a conventional sized light bulb which contains speakers and connects
wirelessly with smartphones to transform the entire home into a musical space. Sony will also be exhibiting a compact, cube-shaped and waterproof portable ultra-short throw projector which, when placed on a
refrigerator door or even in a bathroom, can project an approximately 23 inch
image capable of being manipulated by touch.

Furthermore,
the 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector that is the first in Sony’s range of Life
Space UX products, is scheduled to be launched in Europe by summer of 2015

[1]Functionality
available on Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3 Compact and Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact starting
from November 2014. PS4 System, DUALSHOCK®4Wireless Controller, Sony Entertainment Network and high speed
internet connection required. Some games may not support this feature. Latest
version of PS4 System Software Update required.PS4 Remote Play Application required on Xperia.

[2]In compliance with IP65 and IP68, the Xperia Z3,
Xperia Z3 Compact and Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact are protected against the
ingress of dust and are waterproof. Provided that all ports and covers are
firmly closed, they are (i) dust tight and (ii) protected against low pressure
jets of water from all practicable directions in compliance with IP65; and/or
(iii) can be kept under 1.5 m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes in compliance
with IP68.

[3]Silver
green available in select markets only.

[4]Maximum
of 96KHz/24 bit fidelity.

[5]Based on
Sony analysis. When using noise-cancelling headset MDR-NC31EM, or MDR-NC31,
MDR-NC033, MDR-NWNC33, MDR-NWN33S headphones sold from October 2009 for use
with Walkman®. Ambient noise is not completely eliminated.

[6]Compact
Tablets are defined by Strategy Analytics as tablets with a display size
greater than 7 inches and less than 9 inches. Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is
dust-tight and waterproof (in compliance with IP65/68) powered by Qualcomm’s
MSM8974AB 2.5GHz Quad-core processor and 3GB RAM. Specifications verified by
Strategy Analytics’ SpecTRAX Service as of Sep 2014. For more information on
Strategy Analytics results go to: www.sonymobile.com/testresults

[7]Colors
may vary according to market.

[8]Smart Tennis Sensor launched in Japan in May. It will be
available from January 2015 in North America. Please refer to the following
website, http://www.sonymobile.com/press
for full Xperia™ product press releases.

[9] Smartphone and tablet
compatible with PlayMemories Mobile™ is required.

[10]A memory card is needed for recording certain types of footage
such as video and continuous shooting.

[11]When SteadyShot is off. SteadyShot is only effective when filming
with a 120° field of view.

[12]Only video can be played back. Sound is unavailable.

[13]Number of models introduced in Europe. Different to the number
introduced worldwide.

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